With the food and drink she waves it off, this is not what an Illithid needs. Once they get to the cabin. Gift does not hesitate and shifts the space to be one an Illithid would like. warm, dark and wet, with pools of steaming water. Glowing rocks and drips lots of drips. Things move in the damp moss and odd-looking plants.
::"Arrr yes much more to my liking"::
Feigning being nonplussed by this all, the dread wizard Kes'a'ldath muttered a deadpan "Fascinating. I wonder what a magic dead zone would do to this realm. Nothing good I assume."
When his Illithid companion suggested this was more to her, perhaps it's liking, he replied, "I'm sure we can bend this into something more suitable."
All this was keeping up appearances, in truth he was fascinated by the metal rods they had been given. He wanted to understand what level of control they gave over the environment, how they were forged and how it worked, and also what happened if two wills gave contrary instructions. Ideally he wanted to know how to wrest control away from the rod wielders without using a rod at all, if that was possible. This was going to require some serious research.
When it seemed like they were reasonably alone (if that could ever be the case) he sent a mental pulse towards Terex ::We need to figure out how this all works. Some research is in order, would you mind assisting me? I want to see what these rods are capable of.I'm thinking of starting small and building up to something extravagant.::
Grenbd looks around the illithid 'cabin'. "What? No wh0res?!"
Terexaltherin, in his 'Bellis Cat' persona, messes around with changing shapes as they're shown around the 'resort'. As he does, he keeps an eye out for anything unusual... servants that seem too interested in them or too frightened, signs of areas that might be disguised in some way, and so forth.
He immediately starts searching their 'cabin' for any kinds of monitoring devices, as well.
Analyzing the rods and the planes, Azzim gets that the rod's powers might not be considered ordinary magic so much as a property of the plane you in are itself... These qualities of the plane extend from the lodge outward in the shape of a pie slice which expands to nearly an entire world and grants the rod-holders nearly god-like powers... One thing Azzim notices is something like a whiff of lawful-neutral aura, a quality of "you pay later for what you ask for now..." but somewhat slight, as if any consequences will be far off.
Passing through the lodge, Terex only raises a few eyebrows and notices three staircases leading down below the lodge proper. They're well hidden, locked and trapped... The low-level servants seem drained of any desire but to ... serve and so aren't suspicious in other ways. Fluenmuello and their henchmen (hench-entities?) are suspicious but unreadable. Terex can sense direct surveillance but he feels that plane will send a warning of disturbance if it is disturbed...
As Grend mentions the "entertainers", they appear, not just any "entertainers" but Grend's favorite "entertainers" from the fake bio Arlo dutifully committed to memory...
Surveillance built into plane. Assume we're watched and listened to constantly. Recommend no communication on subjects usable by opponents, limit telepathic communication, Terexaltherin reports to the others.
While 'Grenbd' and 'Kes'a'ldath' explore what can be done with their cabin, he shifts to a vaguely feline form and finds a nice sunny spot to laze in. As he does, Terexaltherin considers what they've seen and what can be done. The threat of constant surveillance certainly makes their task more difficult, especially since he wouldn't be surprised if even telepathy isn't entirely safe. They'll have to make their target selection very carefully, figure out oblique ways to communicate with each other, and disguise any preparations they make.
Which means he really shouldn't ever retreat to his library while they're here. What a tragedy!
Azzim grunted, constant surveillance was not entirely surprising although it was rather unwelcome. It being a property of the plane was problematic...
Azzim thought back to earlier adventurers where by force of will he'd imposed temporary local changes to a plane's properties. Yes that was what the rods where for, but he wondered if that was the only means and if the rods potentially limited what could be done. He would need to tread carefully here so as not to rouse suspicion, but if there was a way to bypass whatever security protocols existed he wanted to know about it.
Azzim looks carefully and all the surveillance spells and devices are fairly simple and can be thwarted by conventional spells and/or counter devices. The process will only take a couple hours. It seems the plane itself just a "feeling" about what given guest are doing on a surface level and that can be evaded if not disabled...
Gifts mind was near impregnable
The subject is protected from all devices, Powers, and spells that gather information about the target through divination powers or magic (such as detect evil, locate creature, scrying, and see invisibility). Barred mind also grants a +8 resistance bonus on saving throws against all mind-affecting powers, spells, and effects. Barred mind even foils bend reality, limited wish, miracle, reality revision, and wish spells when they are used in such a way as to gain information about the target. In the case of remote viewing or scrying that scans an area the creature is in, such as arcane eye, the effect works but the creature simply isn’t detected. Remote viewing (scrying) attempts that are targeted specifically at the subject do not work at all.
And add this to her own.
Hide Mind (Su)
At 2nd level, the ascendant psion cannot be identified as psionic by divination spells, clairsentience powers, or similar abilities unless the caster level or manifester level of the effect is 4 higher than the ascendant psion’s manifester level.
This ability replaces the discipline ability normally gained at 2nd level.
The "Bellis Cat" gets up and stretches.
Well I'm bored with this place. Should we go see if anyone interesting has shown up yet?
Azzim was pleased by Gift's mind block and he used the secure communication channel to suggest a plan of action ::Yes we should. I propose we act as agents of chaos, maintaining suitable deniability of course. Use dirty tricks to set the other contestants against each other, whilst simultaneously flattering and ingratiating ourselves. Perhaps we can use the rods to arrange a few disasters, Volcano under somebody's cabin, infestation of purple worms, that sort of thing, using magic to provide us alibis::
So first Terex arrives in the lodge in low fashion, the feral hunting cat Bellis sunning themselves at a Window of the warm but slightly drafty Great Room. In one corner, two Greeches, (whose names are apparently infernal for “J-hole” and “trash bin”) are playing conventional billiards, with each shot producing bizarre and impossible and with contestant attempting to reveal the other’s cheating approach. By the fire, A seven foot tall hairless, mauve-skinned goblin is sweating and speaking loudly with Bruno the ski-bum, recounting both his adventures with “entertainers” he summed as well as a hunt with bear he wants to create (He keeps talking about how many limbs he want to give it – eight, ten, twelve then twenty).
By an entrance to the snow covered outdoors, three well dressed humanoid lions with eerily white fur, aided by four attractive human minoins are rubbing down four giant and exhausted Hell Hounds. The only female lion-person is pampering the dogs, handing them glowing coals and raw meat.
After about half an hour, a large tan-skinned, brown-furred werewolf wanders into the lodge also, carrying some hunting gear and some variety of shoulder-mounted magnetic rail gun. He moves with remarkably relaxed and ingratiating energy, like a big puppy dog and sits next to Terex, “Well tabby, you look like you can handle yourself alright. I don’t know who you’re with but would like to try the second event tomorrow, I hear we’ll be loaded for bear with that” He chuckles softly and pleasantly.
The 'Bellis Cat' stretches... changing shape to a well-dressed catfolk. "Oh?" They say, rolling to their feet. "Do tell. What sort of hunt would it be?"
Hoving into space Mindflayer Gift, looked at his companion Terex.
"Sounds fun"
Then lands next to one off the servenst.
"Offer me your head for I am hungry, and wish to eat you"
The supervent without complaint dose so. Gift pushes him away.
"Leave me fool"
Then to the room as much as himself, He says. As he waves a hand and usings telekinesis to spected one of the rail guns.
"No Flavor at all, the best tasting brains are ones full of fear and dread. These willing fools have no psot, task like junk food."
Check the scope
"Will our sports give me more tasty brains to eat, Tracking down ones pry, feeling it know your about to catch it at any moment. The look in its eyes as its in your grip. The fear and shock as life is ripped away from it. Arrr, and I find the sport much more fun when one uses ones own skills and weapons to hunt, up close and personal. Not by throwing darts at them from far away."
Sends the rail gun back to where it came from. Then he looks over at the Lion-kin.
"I bet they understand just what I mean, tooth and claw, wit and track"
He gives the Lion-Kin a nod.
"We are here to hunt and devour for our sport. Is that on the cards for us?"
At Terex' shift and question, the wolf-man shifts to a more low-key form, like a man wearing cartoon dogs suit, "Oh, I'm just thinking we'll see lot of egos here and the enterprising opportunist can just lope and see what drops on the side, you get my drift... "
When Gift appears from the side, he gives toothy smile and doffs his caps (as suddenly he is wearing a three-musketeers-type outfit) and retrieves his gun.
When Mind-flayer Gift nods in at the lion-kin, you see one of the male nod slightly, make soft purr and small step towards the group ... yet the purrs is very audible, like someone whispering directly in your ear "Yesss..." and the step brings the creature immediately in front of Gift from across the room. "Yesss... we do come for the hunt, flavor and the kill... We have an idea for tomorrows hunts. Each of us brings a creature from cabin, one we would eagerly risk hunting, for it must be risky, yes? We assemble in common field and draw lots whose beast which company hunts - and then enjoy antics. What say my friend? Most here are hunters of the most best sort" (he give a contemptuous glance at the wolf-man.) "We shall how many would take us up on such an offer..."
"Hmmm, normally some sort of temporary creation wouldn't be that interesting to hunt... unless you brought something with you? I suppose, though, if it was dangerous enough, there could still be a thrill... perhaps there should be a bit of a side bet? Who can bring the beast that kills the most hunters?" The 'Bellis Cat' grins toothily, for all he's one of the smallest in the room.
The dread wizard Kes'a'ldath agreed saying, "Indeed where's the fun and pathos in killing a temporary thing? Surely you want a trophy from a stored beast? The noble savage, the last of it's line, i put up a devil of a fight but in the end it was no match for you or perhaps our might! Still I like the idea of this side bet..."
He then evaluated everyone in the room trying to figure out if anyone there was prone to anger or even better if there was some way to trick some of them into fighting each other.
"I'm known as Zerbedekt the Predator, to others less kindly as Zerbedekt the corruptor. Because I like the taste of Demons, they are, how should I say, my particular proclivity. The more sinful, the more depraved, the more powerful the better. O you can hunt lesser races, but it's no great surprise to them when they are Predated on. They after all are pray in one form or another. All if us here know that something out there may hunt even us. Arr but to hunt something that is not use to being hunted, to hold them and feel them as the fear sinks into a mind that so often enjoys seeing it others. Ooo.. the sweet taste of the emotions, the tender confusion. O to hunt and devourer that. To tast each moment of it as you strip away their minds. Each delicious layer, like a fine banquet. If I am lucky I find one that can regenerate, to to have the exquisite flavours over and over.... And this is the best of all, they eat souls, and there is nothing better than Pulling what they have eaten from them as well, its like Kopi luwak, civet coffee, teh flavor is so much improved."
Court up in the rapture of it, Then he stops, and in a change of tone says.
"You know I am quit peck-ish now. Tomorrow I will be bringing something demonic to hunt. Something big and tasty"
To her fellows
"I hope one of you knows how to summon a really big demon, I mean a really big one, because I want to have some fun with this lot tomorrow."::
"Hmmm, normally some sort of temporary creation wouldn't be that interesting to hunt... unless you brought something with you? I suppose, though, if it was dangerous enough, there could still be a thrill... perhaps there should be a bit of a side bet? Who can bring the beast that kills the most hunters?" The 'Bellis Cat' grins toothily, for all he's one of the smallest in the room.
The lion-kin rubs his chin, muses in a voice that's now icy-calm "Hrrrmm, I value honor yes but I did come here for recreation and some deals. I don't usually keep captive the worst things I chase across planes. I'm brave but not foolish. Plus, I'm quite interested in the limits of this place's capacities so temporary but significant"
To Zerbedekt, still perfectly "Zerbedekt, yesss, pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Omchat and my business includes supplying those with unusual appetites so I am happy to make your acquaintance. I will ask my dungeon keeper if we have anything that would satisfy your requirements though I suspect I'd have to make a special order after these events. As for your event idea, I encourage you. Ishram, the servant yonder, is making a list of events, consult them."
As you speak with the Lion-kin, a silver-shelled humanoid insect in black power armor walks in chatting with man resembling a scaled-down cloud giant (still 8' tall). The mini-giant casually waves a glowing green crystalline ice-ax, as they discuss mountineering techniques in aklo (a close look at the cloud giant show him having the appearance of those frozen to death after a week).
Zerbedekt [i]is[/b] terrifying but much of room is calm and composed. The lion-kin are their own kind of terrifying. Overall, power, ego and composure just about ooze from the walls...
"And I you Omchat , Do you have a card?, if so I will be in touch"
He says looking at the new commers with interest.
The "Bellis Cat" shifts to the a form they'd seen on one plane, something like a cross between a wolf and a large lizard. Not being capable of speech in this form, he switches to telepathy. Well, I suppose we'll have to see what the limits of our capabilities here are... and what the costs of those capabilities are, hm?"
He seemingly aimlessly starts meandering about the lodge, to see what more he can overhear...
::That's what I was hoping to do last night... But yes I agree, and I also worry there's a price. I'd like to poropose research in two directions. Firstly can we delay or trigger an effect? E.g. Can we summon a volcano under somebody's lodge, but the magic lays dormant until some trigger.::
Azzim did some experimentation, but at much much lower power levels on the lines of things simple cantrips can do like changing the color of a flower or leaf but on a trigger.
::The other thing I'm wondering is do we really need the rods? If it turns out everyone thinks we do, but we don't, then if we deny the others their rods we'd be at an advantage.::
This was mostly theoretical work, and Azzim hoped some of the others would be intersted.
Omchat looks at Zerbedekt and for a second you can see both greed and fear as the cat stares at the Illithid. "My prices are high as you can imagine but I believe you can pay them. I look forward to doing business with you" and he draws a rectangle in the air - it becomes a yellow glowing piece of film which he hands to Zerbedekt as the Illithid turns his attention to the insect (Tz’z`z`z?) and the undead giant (Levin Munel) who most recently entered...
The black-clad silver insect and the pale viking figure have continued their conversation on mountaineering. Each mentions a variety of allegedly impassible peaks near or within the Lower Planes and methods they knew to get past them
In the discussion, you hear the names of two guests who haven't appeared yet, Rolf the collector and Volf Sun-slainer (it's easy to guess that Tz’z`z`z views Volf with hostility).
Meanwhile, another figure enters, appearing as a humanoid female (maybe elf or Sylph) and then separating somehow into something like a mass of spiders and returning to their original appearance - they approach the bar and take the hand of one server, who momentarily gasps, as if for air. And then the "spider woman" requests a mineral tonic from the still-gaping human (with a noticeable red dot on her palm). The creature whispers name to the server ("Thelemia").
Meanwhile, the wolf/dog-man has settled down to watching the action as well.
Azzim indeed has made a good general study of the power of the rods but it occurs to him testing one creation against another would indeed give even more information, especially about the limits of the rod. Considering what he's seen so far, the rods' abilities are limited to the "cabin" plane of the rod holders and the common area and seem remarkably close to the total power of the party, something that likely isn't a coincidence The question is how effectively one can "code" clever tricks into the creations of rods and whether one can use these tricks to test the borders and limits that are set-up.
Watch the insectoid, Terexaltherin informs the rest of his party telepathically, indicating Tz’z`z`z. Here in the lodge he doesn't dare 'say' more.
Earlier, Azzim shared his findings and asked Terex, ::I think I've learned all that I can about the basics of these rods. I think to learn more we'd need to test one creation against another, I have a feeling we might be able to encode tricks into them. E.g. summoning a fire elemental that turned into an earth elemental under certain conditions. Perhaps we should experiment here?::
Azzim found himself distracted, thinking too much about the rods when he was supposed to be observing the guests. Still he found himself agreeing with Terex, the insectoid was dangerous and quite probably needed to be taken out. Still he was curious about the two guests that hadn't turned up yet, Rolf the collector and Volf Sun-slainer, he wondered if he'd heard of their names before.
Azzim considers the descriptions of the two so-far-not-seen characters, going back through his vast store of learning. What he hears of "Rolf The Collector" fits the description of an obscure but apparently extremely powerful entity that operates by trapping cities, continents and occasionally who planes in strange mindscapes. Despite his reputation, he (or it) has been off The Organization's radar just because seems neutral or even opposed to the Dark Traders, acting only by his own logic.
Volf Sun-slainer is known ally of the Trader, Perhaps their only "heroic" ally. It's thought that they are minor avatar of some god of war. Known are, well, slays suns on those planes whose suns are closer to gods than masses of fusing deuterium.
One thought with Rolf is that their reputed modus operandi is oddly similar to the way that plane itself has been set up...
Over the hive mind's hopefully secure link, Azzim says ::I think I've heard of this Rolf The Collector... A major league entity that traps cities, continents and even whole planes in mindscapes. You know this setup here is oddly similar, I wonder if that's a coincidence - my gut instinct is no, but I don't know what it means. Oddly he or it is not on the organization's radar, they're either unaligned or possibly opposed to the Traders.::
He paused for a moment before adding ::Oh and Volf Sun-slainer is major bad news, a Trader ally and possibly avatar of some minor god of war. We will need to tread very carefully, but if we can take him out that would be quite the coup::
Hmmm... Tz’z`z`z has suspected Dark Trader involvement, as well, with fleets opening the way for their influence over failing galactic civilizations. We've got several good possible targets. Let's settle on one to focus on, but be ready to change targets opportunistically. Let's see... if we could make an interesting enough quarry, we could probably get several of them out on a hunt... and if we arrange it right, the hunted could become the hunter. Though we might want to be able to render aid carefully...
Terex's words gave Azzim much to consider and later that day he sent a message across the hive mind ::Gift if we were to summon something something incredibly tough but dumb, like some sort of golem, would you be able to imbue it with the spark of consciousness and cunning? Perhaps using the rod... Terex and I could further enhance it with magic, to make a quarry worthy of this plane's guests. Naturally there'll be some sort of accident during the hunt.::
As the party casually socializes and enjoys the sights of the now villain filled lodge and you debate the next move on psychic channels...
Grend drinks his dwarven ale and makes several subtle hand gestures, answering Dog-Man's gestures.
::"Humm I can program and Adamantine Golem if we can call one"::
Azzim considered the idea, ::Mmm yes. Normally those are big, slow and immune to magic. I wonder perhaps with these rods we can modify their nature slightly to allow for some enhancements. Something like making them fast and able to fly.::
Discussion in the main room, continues. Levin Munel entertains the room with a ballad that is both raucous and disturbingly bloody while drinking steaming tankards of aged embalming fluid as other characters chat more quietly...
Azzim calculates an Adamantine Golem could be constructed and enhanced to the point of being truly dangerous (The challenge Azzim can see is that these are the cream of planar villains and likely could survive an crude onslaught of even vast power in one or fashion. Something surprising likely would be needed to snare such characters).
Meanwhile, Grend receives this telepathic message ::Greetings from deep cover. I am Gardinus, known as 'the hound'. My mission has been infiltrating and reporting on the operations of Omchat, a planar gangster with tentacles everywhere. I understood there might be another group sent to apprehend the worst of these characters - I can help with this. I don't know your targets but Volf and Tz’z`z`z seem the most closely linked to our enemies... Consider these characters are fickle. Omchat could be persuaded to turn on just about anyone for a price, just as an example. The motives of our host are also mysterious. How does he not expect such a group to break up into violence? Is he perhaps trying to put massive gang together or is he just aiming eliminate his own enemies? He's been absent so far but that might change. Again, let me know how I can help more...::
Terexaltherin notes the signs passed back and forth, but says nothing for now. He'll ask Arlo, er, Grend about it later.
The vast powers of creation and the best we can come up with is an adamantine golem? We should do something more creative! Some sort of... hybrid monstrosity... oh, it should be able to shapeshift! Have the first form seem interesting enough to hunt, but as it gets more injured it shifts to a more dangerous form. Could we manage something that suddenly displays holy attacks? That could catch them off-guard. Some magical abilities would be good too. Maybe... start with some dragon for the base, maybe add some dweomercat and basilisk... I don't know, how far can we push this?
Terex' vast knowledge of tricks and traps kicks in in considering possibilities.
A simple approach is indeed a monster that appears to be another - a monster best treated by hand-to-hand combat turns into an enveloping ooze and similar approaches. This is combined with monsters tuned to the combat and psychological weaknesses of a target (and here choice and knowledge of the opponent is crucial).
Ebezan's infamous "Can you help With My Mule" trap comes to mind. A "foolish peasant" approaches a hero with a request to get a mule to behave. Hero attempts without much thought but becomes irate as the mule escapes each effort at control by seeming dumb luck. Once the hero is fighting for his life, he is also in the exact wrong state of mind to survive. So a hunt may not be where to lay a trap at all - or it might be, depending.
Also, the rods have a certain weakness - their creations are to an extent "programmed". If one anticipates one's opponent well, this could be effective. But possibility is creating a thing able to anticipate an opponent.
Grend takes another hug gulp of dwarven ale, while the dwarf uses the hivemind to relay Gardinus's information to the group.
Terexaltherin... err, the Bellis Cat considers the information. Probably just ask him to pass along information about Volf and Tz’z`z`z that he's observed. Always best to keep missions compartmentalized.
He shares his thoughts on a creature with the group. So its first appearance should be something that catches our quarry's attention, then when they've been drawn in it changes to something they'd be weak to. So we need to finalize our target selection.
::A femme fatal perhaps, or whatever equivalent they might be interested in...:: mused Azzim.
Levin Munel's songs become more maudlin and obscene, Tz’z`z`z watches, sipping fruit nectar with they proboscis. Omchat harmonizes with a lyre, producing a haunting, beautiful and disturbing melody. Outside, it was a beautiful and glorious Spring on the mountainside for half an hour, till another snow storm washed it away (apparently unleashed by another guest).
The carcasses of several beasts are on the central while live things are kept in nearby cases... A servant nervously mentions various unusual liquors that might appeal to Zerbedekt...
Prompted by Arlo, Gardinus replies ::Yes, good, Tz’z`z`z and Volf are perhaps the ideal targets. Through my contact with Omchat, I've been gathering data and observing... Tz’z`z`z: A rebel pod member of highly technological insect race (a rare thing indeed). It/they are a powerful warrior using both simple and advanced weapon as well as a powerful psion. They employ wizards but have no magic themselves - they can evoke an anti-magic field nearly instantly and at will, however. Their motives beyond the accumulation of power and the destruction of life are mysterious. They are generally cautious, calm and logical in pursuit of goal but act boldly when the moment calls for action. If they have a weakness, it is expecting too much logic to the multiverse and denying too strongly what few emotional responses they still have.::
Volf Sun-Slayer is nearly the opposite. Something like a ravening beast. I believe he is indeed a degenerate Godling, somehow addicted to a sort of drug found at the heart of stars. Anger and spite are his weaknesses as well his dependence on this substance (who nature he closely guards, though I think the Traders know of the substance and give him doses to stave off withdrawal). But he is so incredibly tough that it's tricky to think how to exploit this 'weakness'. Perhaps some holy relic somewhere could do this. He is, however, more cautious than he seems...
Also these generally avoid each other. Notice only one is hear now. It may be just dislike or there could being something else.::
::Also, have you noticed the stairs down to some lower level? I have to stay near Omchat but one of you might be able to take a look. Perhaps they hold a clue to the nature of these strange rods:: the almost comic dogman adds...
Meanwhile, one of the Greeches takes a smokes and the gets up and walks listless about the great room, seemingly sprawling at random next to Azzim and also lighting an oily cigarette, meanwhile Azzim here a soft whisper in his ear... "You and your comrade Zerbedekt have gained quite a reputation. My own master, Volf, would be very interested in speaking to either of you about this technology of the ancients..."
While as "Zerbedekt" lounges in the vicinity of the billiards table, the insect creature Tz’z`z`z approaches and bows, whispering in a clear monotone "I don't think either of us needs any niceties. May we speak?" It holds what is apparently a bubble of privacy in one hand.
Zerbedekt nods and enters the Bubble.
Lessining to what was being said.
Zerbedekt levels his eyes at them, a mind deep and thathemless look deep onto the being before him. This as no mind flyer but and elder mind, with all its power, Phyickly caressing the ego before him with imperceptible fingers of the mind. Cold, unchanged and utterly unfelling. Gift was a created being who has taken into herself 1000s of minds, She had touched time, and raw reality itself, in that space out of time. All that now looked at this being. A cold voice from the depths of time itself said simply.
::"Then we understand each other."::
playing with a tentacle he adds.
::"Price... how trite, This is not something you Pay for like a trinket at the market. Noo.. This is no aqwastion, this is a merger, as such We must show each other our assets before we come to an acord."::
It is unusual for an insect, especially a vastly powerful, galaxy-ravaging insect, to appear to look surprised. But looking at Zerbedekt within the opaque bubble, Tz’z`z`z does seem taken aback for a second or two. Then the creature regains its deathly calm. ::szsz, yes, that may be necessary. szsz. This is what I can show you, for now:: and the creature opens its minds and the view Zerbedekt/Gift senses first thousands, and then vastly more, maybe millions of minds... most insectisoid but powerful and restless, threatening to escape... The creature closes it's mind once again. :: I will meet you tomorrow at neutral ground some ways from this castle tomorrow and we can finalize an agreement...::
with A nod, he lets the insect go.
Then sends a once.
::"Terexaltherin, I need to use your Libery, I need everything you have on the vast original technology of illithids."::
::Terex I'll prepare a clarifying draught that will aid with this endeavor:: sent Azzim who immediately got to work.
Grend stands amazed by the vast number of minds Zerbedekt must manage.
::"Tz’z`z`z psionically consumed his own species, that is soooo coool."::
Comes that child like part of Gifts mind that his still her father's daughter. One of the many sub mines that gift seems to have no days.
::"Sad thing is I think I am going to have to consume Tz’z`z`z, to help him. You can't hold that many minds for long, you lose yourself. I don't have a problem because mum designed me to be a Have-mind and Im not organic I am made from psionic force itself. But poor old Tz’z`z`z is dispiritedly trying to find a way out of the trap Tz’z`z`z has placed themself in. Tz’z`z`z organic form can't take this forever. I have a psionic demi plane if I could just form a device that could hold his race in a psionic sim, they could happily live there, conquering worlds of the imagination. Like a ship in a bottle. If we could replicate the soul crystal device. But the only books on this we may have are Tix's "::
A pinch of sadness and home in her voice.
Azzim gave gift a sharp rebuke over the link.
::What?! Psionically consuming his own species is abomination. Tz’z`z`z doesn't need help, Tz’z`z`z needs to be eradicated.::
::Carrying the souls of millions of people is a burden:: Grend (Arlo) said mournfully over the hive mind. ::Believe me. I don't want that for you.::